Improvement in railway-car springs



H. GARDINBR.

Car Spring. No. 109,312. Patented NOV. 15, 1870.`

'ebnen L fitte.

treuen easeltine, or New Yonk, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 109,312, dated November 15, 18,70; antedated November 12, 1870.

l:uPrrovrmrnr In RAuwAv-cAR'sPRINes.

The Schedule. referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the sama To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, HEMAN Gannixnn, ot' the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu the Construction of Railroad-car Springs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fulldescription of the same.

The nature of my invention consists* First, in combining with thc rubber and external and internal jacket, or coating or covering of wool or hairT fclted cloth, or of any other brous fabric of similar properties, for the purpose o f isolating the external and internal surfaces of therubber, from contact with the inner surface of the metal box, and the surface ofthe spiral spring, and thus prevent the surfaces of the rubber spring from becoming granulated or chafed, as would be the case, if not protected from contact with the roughsurfaces of the metal box or the vibratory sides of thespiral spring.

Second, in combining with a spiral spring, a cylindrical roll of felt cloth of wool or hair, orother felted fabric of similar properties, of sufficient length and diameter,

when tightly rolled, to'ill the core, or central part of thc spiral spring, for the purpose of supporting the spiral spring, and, at the same time, in consequence of its formation and confinement within'the core ofthe spiral spring, `act as a perpetua-l elastic force to assist in supporting the load on the car.

But to describe my invention more particularly, l`

will refer to thcaccompanying drawing forming apart o t' this specification, thc same letters of reference,-whereever they occur, referring to like parts.

Figure l is a side view of the spring as it appears when adjusted on the car-truck.

Figure 2 is a vertical cut Section of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan o1' end view-of the spring, as seen when the follower or plunger has been removed.

Figure 4 is a view of the inner facc of the follower, and alsoof the inner face of the solid end ofthe barrel or box in which the springs operate.

Figure 5 is an edge or side view ot' the follower or plunger, v

Letter A represents a metal barrel orbox, of about six inches diameter at its ends to the depth of some one to two inches, as required, and about six and one-half inches indiame'tcr at its middle part, and of .any suitaof felt cloth, equal to the length of the spiral spring, and rolling vit into a solid cylinder, of suilicient diamo-1 ble length, according to `length of springs used,

The object of this formation of the box is, first, by making thc middle part of it of greater diam eter than its ends, to allow' the hollow cylinder of 'India rubber' to expand, and thus, when under pressure, develop an easy and constant elastic force and, second, by making the ends of the box of a uniform diameter, to the depth of one to two inches, confine the rubber in a vertical position in the box, and, at the same time, act as a guide-way to keep the follower squarely upon the rubber and spiral springs, and thus overcome all tendency to break down the springs at one side more than another, as would be the case if the follower was not rigidly held by the` sides of the box in avertical position.

Letter B is the follower or plunger, having on one sido a shank of metal, C, upon which the spring is supported on the car-truck, and on the upper or inner side or face, a conter pin, l), encircled by an inclined plane, E.

This device of the center pin and inclined plane is also formed upon the inner face of thc solid end or top ofthe box.

llhe length and diameter of l-hccenter pin are about one inch, but may be varied, according to size and length of spiral spring used.

Letter l? represents a hollow cylinder of India rubber, of about the length or the box A, and about oncquarter of an inch less in diameter than its ends. The

lthickness ofthe sides ofthis rubber cylinder is about v onel inch, more or less, as may be required. y

Upon the internal 'and external sides of this rubber cylinder is secured a jacket or covering of felted cloth, of wool or hair, or other similar fabric or material, indicated by thc letters Gr and 1l'.

'.Lhe objcctrof this jackcting thc rubber cylinder is, first, for ihc purpose oi.' preventing the friction of the iron box and spiral spring from chaling the rubber., and thus, by breaking its skin, weaken and destroy its elastic pr01')crtics, as is well known to be the ease with rubber car-springs,when their sides are broken or chafcd; and, second, for thc purpose of acting as a packing tosupport the sides of the rubber, and isolate it from direct contact with the sides vof the hoxA and spiral spring J arranged within its center.

This spiral spring is made in thc usual way, and of proportionate length to the length of the box A, and of such diameter as to vfill the cavity of the rubber cylinder.

Its ends are centered'upon the center-pins D, and

inclined planes E, as is thus iirmlyrheld in avcrtical position within the box A.

In the core of thc 'spiral spring is inserted in a.A eoliunnar form, a roll of felt-cloth, of w'ool or hair; or other fabric of similar properties, as indicated by letter K. This roll is made by taking a piece or pieces tcr to fill solidlythc central part-of the spiral spring.

It will be obvious that a roll of felt cloth thus made aud'conlinediin the core or central opening of the spi' ral spring, prevents any possibility of the felt matting, as would be the case if loose wool packing was used and, at the 'same time, as theV pressure is upon the edges of the several layers of cloth composing the roll, it preserves a constant and durableelastic resisting I N A force for thc centerfpinsl) to act upon, and thus prevents the spiral spring from being fully exhausted of' 4its elastic force, or breakin'g by being overloaded.

Having now described myinvention, I will proceed 'pio set forth what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent oflthe United States.

I claim- 1. The combination of thc hollow cylinder of' rubber F with the jackets 'G and H, for the purposes herein- Vbefore Vset forth, and'snbstantiallyrin the Vmode of ap- Y plication and material used and described.

2. The combination of acylindrical roll of felt cloth,

Witnesses: W

CHARLES L. BARRET, FRANKLIN BaRRITtv. 

